The first thing you notice at August: Osage County (if you are early enough) is that this is a
Weinstein movie. Not just because their logo appears on the screen so much, but
because every preview you see is for a movie that you really want to see. At
least if you are me. And the friend sitting next to me.
And then August: Osage
County begins. If you are feeling weary of the continuous cold this winter,
this will bring you right into hot and stuffy August.
This movie, especially if viewed soon after Nebraska, will have many viewers
swearing off the Great Plains forever. I mean, seriously. It can’t be good for
tourism. Although I would love to see this house in real life. On second
thought, I want to go to the settings of these movies just to wander around
with a camera.
So. Meryl Streep: brilliant in the dark and thankless role
of a drug-addled, aging matriarch who bullies her family. Julia Roberts: also
excellent as the bitter oldest daughter who has not recovered from her childhood.
Neither of these women display any inclination toward being divas as they are
willing to let their respective ages show quite clearly at times.
Mom and Dad made their money in the 80s, by the looks of
things, as their house is furnished from that time period, and their vehicles
also look to be that vintage. Things don’t seem to have moved on since then, as
everyone in the house becomes not so much preserved as pickled in that season
of their lives, or doing everything they can to escape it.
Don’t go to this movie if you are looking for a pick-me-up.
Dark is an understatement. However, it might make you feel better about any
family dysfunction you may experience. It’s hard to imagine that ANYONE’s
family could be much worse than this. You should go home more appreciative of
yours. These people are messed up, and everything that could happen does. There
are times that the Calvinists among you will think you are viewing a case study
in total depravity.
While it is very dark, there are moments of humor. Streep’s
expressions are like no other, such as when her daughter asks her if she’s
supposed to be smoking in her condition. She delivers the response, “Is anybody
supposed to smoke?” with a husky depth that no one else could.
While I found the movie a downer, a friend suggested that it
might be a cathartic experience for those who have suffered through family situations
with many rifts that are never spoken of. Streep’s character decides to do some
“truth-telling”, laying all (almost all, anyway) the dirty laundry on the table,
and all-out war ensues in a way that some beaten-down children may fantasize
about.
The acting is fantastic on all counts, though I just can’t
quite deal with Benedict Cumberbatch and Ewan McGregor speaking with what seems
to be an Oklahoman accent.
Go to this one if you really appreciate acting, but if you
need a movie for escapist purposes, go see something else.
